October 1 ‘plate’ charge will see drivers facing $200 fees in US state

A NEW charge coming into effect in a matter of days will force drivers in a major US state to fork out a $200 fee for certain types of plates.

Upcoming changes to fees and tolls in Delaware are set to be brought in, courtesy of the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles.

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A law change coming into effect in a matter of days will force drivers to fork out a $200 fee for specialty plate requests[/caption]

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Changes are coming to fees and tolls in Delaware, courtesy of the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles[/caption]

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The changes will generate some $107 million annually for the Department of Transportation to fund infrastructure projects[/caption]

According to Delaware Online, residents will face increased costs for various DMV services – including driver’s license renewals, duplicate IDs and vehicle registration.

What’s more, new fees for alternative fuel vehicle registration and specialty license plates will be applied.

The changes, which aim to generate some $107 million annually for the Department of Transportation to fund infrastructure projects across the state, will see a variety of new fees come in.

For starters, duplicate IDs and commercial learner’s permits have increased, from $5 to $10.

Name changes on driver’s licenses or IDs have also increased, from $1.15 to $10, while Class D/non-commercial license renewals, new issuances or transfers have risen from $40 to $50.

Commercial license renewals, new issuances or transfers are now $55, up from $48, and vehicle registration document fees are being sold from 4.25% to 5.25% of the owner’s car’s value.

Dealer renewals command a $50 fee, new applications are $100 and specialty plate requests will now see motorists cough up an eye-watering $200 fee.

Furthermore, toll increases on I-95, Route 301 and Route 1 also went into effect on August 15.

However, drivers with a Delaware E-Z Pass receive discounted rates.

Delaware’s state government also recently passed a new measure which will tax electric vehicle owners to compensate for the gas tax revenue inherently lost by their usage.

The fees can range anywhere from $15 for all electric motorcycles to as high as $900 for certain four-or-more-wheeled vehicles.

These fees will go into effect at the start of October, and will be retroactively applied to previous EV registrations as well as those in the future.

Delaware’s Department of Motor Vehicles has argued that the fee ensures all vehicle owners contribute to road maintenance, regardless of fuel type, but EV and non-EV drivers alike don’t buy it.

The latest move in local government has left citizens fuming over mixed signals and what, in their opinion, is unfair treatment.

“I think people who use electric vehicles are doing something good for the Earth, and they shouldn’t have to pay extra. I mean, their vehicles are already expensive as it is,” non-EV driver Alyssa Fitzgerald told local CBS affiliate WBOC.

Other locals are instead highlighting the apparent hypocrisy of this latest move in relation to the state’s adoption of the Advanced Clean Cars regulation.

“It just seems like they’re doing two things. They’re taking away our freedom of choice and then they’re taxing us on taking away that freedom,” said driver Paul Kelly.